Switch for indicating out-of-sight loads



July 20, 1955 c. F. MAXTED ETAL 3,196,239

SWITGHFOR INDICATING OUT-OF-SIGHT LQADS Filed Sept. 16, 1963 INVENTOR,CHARLES F.' MAxv-Eo,

/ AvroRNz-rr BY ROBERT E. RAMslNc-;

United States Patent O 3,196,239 SWITCH FOR INDCATING OUT-F- SIGHI LOADSu Charles F. Maxted, 21525 Meyler St., Torrance, Calif.,

and Robert E. V. Ramsing, 15283 E. Saneto Drive,

Whittier, Calif.

Filed Sept. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 308,963 3 Claims. (Cl. Zilli-M7) rThepresent invention relates to a remote indicating switch, or which issometimes termed a pilot lighted switch. The switch is primarily adaptedto fuliill requirements for normal pilot light applications requiringremote switching and an indication .of out of sight loads. Thus theswitch when in on position has the handle thereof illuminated.

We have found that a neon light for the purpose of our invention wouldnot be satisfactory due to the fact that switch handles are formed indifferent colored acrylic plastics, such as red, green, blue, amber,clear, and white. Because of this spectral range of colors, a gas tubelight source such as neon is not satisfactory because neon has a narrowspectral distribution and does not operate satisfactorily in a blue andgreen switch handle. In order to have a lighted handle, we found that wemust use an incandescent lamp, however, an incandescent lamp of asufficiently small size to fit into the handle is necessarily limited tolow voltage, that is, under 18 volts as normally manufactured. It wasimpossible to obtain a sufficiently small incandescent lamp to operateon 110 volts A.C. even when placed in series with a diode to reducevoltage across the lamp. Further, such a lamp is not satisfactorybecause of the liimsy nature of the lamp filament and its short life.The present invention presents a solution to the problem in the use ofan incandescent lamp for placement in a handle, which Klamp has longlife, the handle does not heat land wherein the switch may be selfcontained in a normal single gang box and meet the requirements ofUnderwriters Laboratories.

An object of the invention is to provide a remote indieating switch, thehandle or toggle of which is suiiiciently illuminated when the switch isclosed to indicate position of the load.

Another object is the provision of a pilot lighted switch wherein theswitch handle may be of different colors and illuminated to indicate aload condition.

A further object is the provision of a remote indicating switch or pilotlighted switch which is inexpensive in cost of manufacture, of Ilonglife, easily assembled and generally superior to illuminated switchesnow known to the inventors.

With the above mentioned and other objects in view, the inventionconsists in the novel and useful provision, formation, construction,association and relative arrangement of parts, members and features, allas shown in one embodiment in the accompanying drawing, describedgenerally and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

FIGURE l is a top plan view of a switch incorporating our invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view `on the line 2-2 of FIG- URE l;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view of the interior of the switch case, takensubstantially on the |line 3-3 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4 4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional View on an enlarged scale, of the switch handletaken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary, partially sectional bottom plan View oftheswitch handle; and,

FIGURE 7 is a wiring diagram for the switch.

3,195,239 Patented July 20, 1965 We have for the purpose ofillustration, shown a switch incorporating our invention. Our inventionis not directed to the switching mechanism per se other than to show anenvironment for invention. Thus, referring to FIGURES 2 and 4, we haveprovided a normal single gang box or casing 1 having a cover 2 and theusual strap 3 whereby the switch casing and cover may be secured in anoutlet box as is the usual practice. Within the casing l is an elongatedswitch arm 4 carrying at its outer end a contact 5. Contact 5 is adaptedto engage' contact 6 carried by a fixed position arm 7. It is intendedby the construction shown to move the arm 4 so as to make or breakcontacts 5 and 6. As is generally known, the contacts 5 and 6 are ofheavy duty silver alloy while the arm 4 of springlike material, isformed from phosphor bronze. The switch handle or toggle 8 is soconstructed on the base 9 thereof as to provide an oil center cam orcams 10 adapted to contact flattened area 11 of arm 4 when the handle isrocked to provide a slow breaking of the contacts 5 and 6 and a fastclosing thereof. The oit-center cams 10 of which there are two, as shownin FIGURES 5 and 6, are formed on trunnions 12 and 13. The switch handleis hollow or of tubular form, as indicated at 14 and has a closed outerend 15. This hollow construction extends through the base of the switchhandle. The switch handle is adapted to receive within the hollow ortubular portion thereof an incandescent bulb 16. The connecting wires 17and 18 from the bulb 16 extend outwardly from the switch handle as shownin FIGURE 5. The base of the switch handle is elongated in form, asshown in FIG- URE 6 at 19 and likewise open at 20 for access within thehandle. An insert 21 is formed for reception within the opening 20 topartially close said opening and still permit outward passage of thewires 17 and 18 from the incandescent bulb. Insert 21 is centrallyenlarged at 22 and provided with an extended central pin or stud 23.Within the case 1 is a toggle spring 24 (FIG. 4) provided at its endswith cups 25 and 26 which cups have depressed centers 27 and 28. Thecasing 1 is provided with a stud 29 so positioned as to be received inthe depressed center 27 of cup 25 while stud 23 is received in thedepressed center 28 of cup 26 when the parts of the switch areassembled. The trunnions rest between flattened areas 35 and 36 of thecasing 1 and the cover 2 is provided with a pair of V-notched bearings37 which overlie each trunnion and hold the switch handle in position.In addition to the foregoing, resilient bumpers 38 are within the casingwith the toggle spring placed therebetween and against which bumpers theswitch handleI is rocked, see FIGURE 4. The arrangement is such that thetoggle spring functions when the handle is rocked to an on or olfposition.

As an incandescent bulb is utilized in the present invention, it becomesessential that the incandescent bulb be protected as far as possible soas to assure a long Ilife' thereof, particularly when used with voltsA.C. To accomplish this desired result, we use a 2 volt incandescentbulb operated at 1.5 volts. We have therefore provided ameans forreduci-ng 110 volts A.C. to 1.5 volts in a normal sized single gang boxor casing, by means of the transformer shown at 50 and which is housedbetween the casing 1 and the cover 2. This transformer is convenientlymade by providing a closed laminated iron core 51 having a primarywinding 52 of approximately 9,000 turns of No. 49 copper insulated wireand a secondary winding S3 of 450 turns of No. 38 insulated copper Wire.A transformer of this character is quite small, occupies little spaceand eltectively reduces 110 volts A C. to 1.5 volts output. As we use a2 volt incandescent bulb, we are therefore operating the lamp at about60% of its rated voltage with resultant extended Vtion, that theincandescent bulb will give approximately seven and one-half years oflight. While the incandescent bulb may be replaced inthe handle, theentire switch is -so inexpensive as to make replacement of the switchfeasible rather than attempting to replace the incandescent bulb. r

The casing 1 and the Vcover 2 are readily secured together when theparts are in assembly by means of screws, as shown in FlGURE 4 at 54 and55. l

A switch circuit is shown in FIGURE 7 wherein 56 rep- 'resents a load atsome remote point.V 57 and 58 are leads from the load 56 which leads areconnected to the primary Winding 52 in shunt relationship while lead 5Sconnects to a source of current and lead 59 forms the second lead fromthe source of current supply to switch arm 4 whichvmay close theelectrical circuit to arm 7 which connects with lead 57 and transformerprimary 52.

The operation, uses and advantages of the invention are as follows.

Assuming the circuit for the switch as shown in FIG- URE 7, it isevident that when the contacts and 6 are closed that electric current isfed to the primary 52 of the transformer so that the incandescent bulbincandesces within the switch handle and indicates a current supply tothe load 56 which load may be at a remote point. As long as electricityis being conducted to the load the incandescent bulb will glow andindicate this fact. When the incandescent bulb is not glowing, it isevident that no load is being supplied as the switch would be in an ofposition.

We believe that the operation of the switch is clear from previousstatements relative to the same although it may be mentioned thatmovement of the switch arm is such as to assure positive make and breakof the contacts 5 and 6 by reason of the off center cams 4 vand thetoggle spring engagement with the switch arm. i

We claim: i

1. In a device for indicating that a current carrying switch has beenturned to an on position, a casing having therein a fixed contact, anelongated flexible Yswitch arm having at one end a Contact normallyurged into engagement with said fixed contact to complete an electriccircuit, a toggle pivoted in the casing, a pair of spaced resilientbumpers in the casing proximate the base of the toggle for limitingmovement of the toggle in either direction, a hollow handle oftranslucent material forming a Vportion of said toggle, a cam carried bythe toggle to engage said flexible switch arm to hold its contact awayfrom said xed contact when the toggle is in olf position and to allowengagement of the two contacts when the toggle is in on position, a lowvoltage bulb of incandescent type within said hollow handle and meansfor delivering to the bulb a current of lower voltage than its ratedcapacity but above that required to make it glow, whereby the handlewill indicate by its glow that the switch is delivering current to itsload.

2. The device of claim 1 in which said means includes a transformerhaving a primary winding opened and closed by said contacts and asecondaryY Winding, for reducing volts A C; to approximately 1.5voltage, said transformer primary winding being open and closed bymovement of the elongated flexible switch arm, and the bulb beingconnected in parrahel with the transformer secondary. Y

V3. The device as set forth in claim 2, in which said transformer has aprimary winding of 9,000 turns of No. 49 insulated copper wire and asecondary winding of 450 turns of No. 3S insulated copper wire wound onan iron core. Y

VReferences Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,494,560 1/50Kaupp 200-167 X 2,612,597 9/52 Sherrand ZOO-167 '2,625,631 l/ 513Chrisler ZOO-167 2,914,705 11/59 Krystyan et al. 20D-167 X KATHLEEN H.CLAFFY, Primary Examiner.

BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Examinez'.

1. IN A DEVICE FOR INDICATING THAT A CURRENT CARRYING SWITCH HAS BEENTURNED TO AN "ON" POSITION, A CASING HAVINT THEREIN A FIXED CONTACT, ANELONGATED FLEXIBLE SWITCH ARM HAVING AT ONE END A CONTACT NORMALLY URGEDINTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FIXED CONTACT TO COMPLETE AN ELECTIRC CIRCUIT,A TOGGLE PIVOTED IN THE CASING, A PAIR OF SPACED RESILIENT BUMPERS INTHE CASING PROXIMATE THE BASE OF THE TOGGLE FOR LIMITING MOVEMENT OF THETOGGLE IN EITHER DIRECTION, A HOLLOW HANDLE OF TRANSLUCENT MATERIALFORMING A PROTION OF SAID TOGGLE, A CAM CARRIED BY THE TOGGLE TO ENGAGESAID FLEXIBLE SWITCH ARM TO HOLD ITS CONTACT AWAY FROM SAID FIXEDCONTACT WHEN THE TOGGLE IS IN "OFF" POSITION AND TO ALLOW ENGAGEMENNT OFTHE TWO CONTACTS WHEN THE TOGGLE 1S IN "ON" POSITION, A LOW VOLTAGE BULBOF INCANDESCENT TYPE WITHIN SAID HOLLOW HANDLE AND MEANS FOR DELEVERINGTO THE BULB A CURRENG OF LOWER VOLTAGE THAN ITS RATED CAPACITY BUT ABOVETHAT REQUIRED TO MAKE IT GLOW, WHEREBY THE HANDLE WILL INDICATE BY ITSGLOW THAT THE SWITCH IS DELIVERING CURRENG TO ITS LOAD.